Bobbin holder



June 2, 1953 w, mc g 2,640,507

BOBBIN HOLDER Filed Dec. 50, 1950 INVENTOR. W/L LIAM QICKENBACK ATTORNEY Patented June 2, 1953 BOBBIN HOLDER William Rickenback, Hopedale, Mass, assignor to Draper Corporation, Hopedale, Mass, a corporation of Maine Application December 30, 1950, Serial No. 203,646

8 Claims.

This invention pertains to improvements in shuttles for-looms, and more specifically, to improvements in the bobbin holding means which includes the spring gripping jaws and the spring cover.

It is a general object of the invention to eliminate breakage of the spring gripping jaws employed in shuttles and to render more efficient and dependable the operation thereof.

It is a more specific object of the invention to devise a combined spring means for gripping the shuttle bobbin and spring cover and bobbin guide in which the bobbin gripping means shall be held very securely, but in which there shall be no interference between the flexing parts of the jaws and the adjacent portions of the cover.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description.

In shuttles of the type described as presently employed, the bobbin on which filling is wound is transferred to the shuttle while the loom is operating and by mechanism well known to those skilled in the art. The transfer of the bobbin is effected upon substantial exhaustion of the supply of filling then being carried by the shuttle and the new bobbin enters certain spring holding means, at the same time ejecting or driving the exhausted bobbin from the shuttle. The holding means for the bobbins comprises spring gripping jaws at the ends of which are formed indentations of a nature to receive and to hold the bobbin as the said indentations cooperate with projections or rings at the bobbin butt. A

The spring jaws are held in the shuttle by means of a cooperating spring cover a part of which serves as a bobbin guide, and the shocks incidental to transferring a new bobbin to the shuttle are taken or transferred to the material of the shuttle through this spring cover which includes top and bottom plates between which the spring gripping jaws are held, and certain screws or bolts by which these elements are retained in position in suitable cavities formed in the shuttle itself.

As heretofore practiced, the bottom plate upon which the spring jaws rest has been so devised that it supports the jaws throughout a considerable part of their complete extent, and in all instances so far as applicant is aware, the spring.

gripping jaws have made contact with this bottom plate throughout not only the non-flexing or relatively rigid clamping portion thereof, but also at the arms or flexing part of the jaws at the ends of which are formed the above mentioned indentations for retaining the bobbin.

According to certain observations made with respect to the functioning of the prior art devices, the spring jaws are somewhat susceptible to breakage after a period of use which is in many instances much shorter than the normal lifetime of the parts should be. It is also true that the flexing of the jaws has in many instances not been as free as it should have been and thus the transfer movement becomes in many instances an extremely hard one. Furthermore, the fact that the transfer forces act downwardly on the shuttle according to the arrangement prevailing in practically all looms, and at the ends of the spring jaws, the deflection of the parts is such that the jaws actually gouge into or abrade to a certain extent the underlying supporting material of the bottom spring cover and after a period of time, the bottom plate becomes badly burred and the action of the spring jaws is thereby interfered with to an appreciable extent. All of these factors detract from the dependability of the transfer function and also make it necessary to provide for harder or more forceful transferring movements than might otherwise be essential. Again, the interference between the parts and the hard movement incidental to their operation does, without doubt, detract from the life which should be expected from them.

According to the invention the spring jaw members which may, for convenience and for lack of better nomenclature, be divided into two portions, first, the clamping portion which is in effect a rigid, U-shaped, non-flexing part of the element, and secondly, the extending jaw members which are bow-shaped and converge toward their tips to engage and hold the bobbin. These are referred to as the flexing portion of the spring gripping jaws and hereinafter in the specification and claims this terminology will be employed, it being understood that by flexing and non-flexing, the terms are used as herein indicated, although it is to be understood that the non-flexing, U- shaped portion of the jaws is of spring steel, the same material which characterizes the remainder of the element, although as the parts are mounted in a shuttle, the said non-flexing part is clamped in position, and to all intents and purposes, has no appreciable movement, flexing or otherwise. The invention contemplates so devising the parts that the flexing portion of the jaws shall be entirely free and of cantilever design so that upon transfer of a bobbin for replacement of the filling supply, the shock forces are transmitted from the flexing jaws to the shuttle through the nonflexing portion of the jaws and then the spring cover plates. The flexing part thereof is entirely a free from the bottom cover and there is no tendency toward gouging or abrading the parts as has heretofore been experienced. It is also true that there is no additional friction or resistance other than that of the natural spring resistance built into them ori inally.

The invention will be described in greater detail by reference to several embodiments thereof as illustrated in the accompanying figures of drawing wherein:

Fig. l is a perspective view showing a preferred form of the invention as applied to a typical shuttle and illustrating the manner in which a bobbin enters the spring gripping jaws upon transfer.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a. combined spring gripping jaw and cover plate assembly.

Fig. 3 is an elevational view of the parts of Fig. 2.

Figs. 1 and 5 are corresponding views of a modification of the invention.

Fig. 6 is an elevational view of a second modification.

Fig. 7 is a similar view of a third modification, and

Fig. 8 is av sectional view showing a fourth modification.

Now referring to Fig. 1, the shuttle :0, one end only of which has been shown, has fixed therein a spring gripping jaw member generall indicated by numeral H and a spring cover similarly denoted by numeral ii. The spring gripping are adapted to receive a filling bobbin such as that at 13 having a butt I4 and a plur holding rings l5 of conventional type. The gripping jaws are characterized by a rigid, non-flexing, clamping portion i2 tending or diverging outwardly therefr "n and being of more or less bow-shape, a pair of fiexing jaw members I! and I8. hers I! and If; have a plurality of grooves or indentations l9 corresponding in number to the number of rings :5 and within which the said rings are held once the bobbin has been pushed downwardly into position upon transfer. The spring jaws are normally spaced apart something less than the diameter of the bobbin butt engaged thereby so that as the bobbin is pushed downwardly into position being guided into the jaws by appropriate means, the latter spring apart permitting entry, but afford resilient gripping action which is sufficiently strong to retain the bobbin in place until it is ejected at the next transfer operation.

The spring cover includes a top plate 23, a bottom plate 21 which, in this particular instance and according to more or less prefered practice, is flared outwardly as at 22 to provide wings which normally are engaged by or support the flexing jaw members H and 8.

The top and bottom plates are interconnected by an inclined cam bobbin guide 23 which is preferably formed as a part of the said plate,

- these all being blanked out of flat stool; and

properly bent to shape just as in the case of the spring jaws. Normally the angle at which the guide 23 is disposed is something in the nature of a 45 degree angle and its function is that of pushing the bobbin butt forwardly or to a position so that the rings i5 are properly aligned with and engaged by the grooves 19.

Parts are held in assembled position with the relatively rigid, U-shaped clamping portion of the spring jaws between the top plate and the bottom plate 21, and the entirev assembly These jaw mem- 1 is then fixed in place within suitable indentations cut in the material of the shuttle by a vertically disposed clamping screw or bolt 24 and a horizontaly disposed bolt 25 of more or less conventional construction.

The spring jaws are normally cut down at the top solthatthey do not engage the top plate past a point where the straight or non-flexing, U- shaped part [6 is terminated, see the following figures in elevation. According to the prior art,

the entire bottom plate has been in contact with the lower surface of the spring gripping jaws so that the flexing orcantilever portions H and IR have been in contact with the bottom plate past the point above mentioned at which the nonfiexing part is terminated, and in the event the lower plate is characterized by wings 22, that contact has continued to the ends of such wing portions. It is to be understood that preferably, the wings 22 are desirable since they bear upon a much greater area of the underlying wood or other material of the shuttle and therefore provide greater support or, to put it in another way, transmit the shock of bobbin changing by im parting it to the sustaining material of the shuttle under lower unit pressure. The tendency therefore is one in which the larger the underlying surfaces which are in contact with the material of the shuttle, the less likely the parts are to become loosened and the longer the period of use without any appreciable wearing or disintegration of the wooden parts of the shuttle which, obviously, are softer and more susceptible to deterioration under the repeated shock forces imparted thereto.

In accordance with the invention, the flexing portion of the jaws as at the lower edges of the parts Ii and I8 is suitably spaced from the adjacent surface of the bottom plate 2! the wings 22, in the event the latter are p thereby to obviate an frictional engagem tween the parts and to assure that the fl or cantilever portions of the spring jaws are entirely free to act and to transmit the shock. of transfer of a bobbin to the non-flexing portion l5 and from that to the spring cover, especially to the bottom plate (2, and thence to the surrounding and supporting material of the shuttle body.

How referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, a preerre form of the invention is illustrated and spec above mentioned is provided by offsetting part of the lower or bottom spring cover p from about the point at which the non-fie... U-shaped clamping portions is term natezl, i. e., at 25, so that the forward part characteri ed by the wings 22 is dropped down or suitably spaced from the lower edges 2! of the flexing portions ll and 18 of the jaws. Upon transfer, the ends of these jaws are, of course, spread apart to permit entry of the bobbin, and also, there is a slight amount of deflection of the parts downwardly since the force is primarily in that direction. Even though the jaws do spring downwardly to an extent, the do not contact the plate beyond the portion 25, and in the particular form herein shown, do not contact the wings 22 at all so that the undesirable effects experienced in the prior art are entirely obviated.

The first modification which is evident at Figs. 4 and 5 differs from that preferred form just above described in that the wings 22 are not evident. In that case the top and bottom cover plates and the inclined cam bobbin guide are all of the same width, but, of course, the width or extent of these parts is considerably greater than the width of the U-shaped, non-flexing part 16 of the jaws and therefore there is still some undesirable contact between the flexing jaws and the underlying bottom plate, in the event the 1 construction follows the prior art. According to the invention herein illustrated, the bottom plate 28 is offset as at 29 so that the remaining portion 30 thereof is suitably spaced from the lower edge 3'! of the spring jaws 32' and 33 so that these jaws are of cantilever design and function, and the same advantages are presented as with the form of the invention first disclosed. While there would have been a tendency of the jaws adversely to affect the underlying bottom plate according to prior art, and also for the efficacy of the jaws to be lessened, the action of the parts according to the invention just above de scribed is one which has been found in actual practice to be most desirable and to overcome to a great extent premature failure of the jaws although it is to be understood that these jaws are made of the finest spring steel and the treatment to which they are subjected is primarily designed toward improving their strength and fatigue characteristics to as great an extent as is practicable.

Now referring to Fig. 6, a second modification of the invention is devoted toward what is more or less a reversal of the practice disclosed with respect to Figs. 2 and 3, in that, instead of offsetting the bottom plate, the lower surface of the flexing portion of the spring jaws has been recessed or out back thereby to provide a space and to avoid contact. lhe bottom plate 34 and to plate 35 have the non-flexing, U-shaiaed portion of the spring jaws 36 clamped between them and the jaws such as the jaw 3! have been cut away or recessed along their lower surfaces as illustrated here to provide a slightly raised lower edge 38 spaced from the top surface of the plate 34 which as herein shown is planar. This form of the invention may obviously be employed with or without wings 22. being a part of the said bottom plate.

Now referring to Fig; 7, the corresponding parts are evident, and the spacing between the flexing jaws whereby the lower edge 39 is spaced from the top surface of the bottom plate 40 is provided by the insertion of a spacer or shim 4| lying between the U-shaped clamping portion 42 of the spring jaws, but terminating at about the same point as the offset or recess heretofore mentioned so thatthe clamping effect is fully realized while the full cantilever function of the spring jaws is preserved. The shim 4| may be a separate or loose piece, or may be welded or otherwise fixed to and, while not formed as a part of the spring cover, may be so attached thereto as to be a functionally unitary part of that element.

In Fig. 8, the same general construction is evident except that th lower plate 43 is embossed or indented as at 44 over an area or surface more or less co-extensive with the contact generally desired between the U-shaped, rigid clamping portion of the spring jaws and the said bottom plate.

While one preferred embodiment and several modifications of the invention have been disclosed, it is to be understood that the inventive concept may be carried out in a number of ways. The invention is, therefore, not to be limited to the precise details described, but is intended to embrace all variations and modifications thereof falling within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the claims.

Iclaim:

1. For a loom shuttle, a filling bobbin holder comprising spring gripping jaws and a spring cover and bobbin guide, said gripping jaws comprising opposed, resilient members formed unitarily with and comprising the extending ends of a relatively rigid, U-shaped supporting portion, said spring cover and bobbin guide comprising top and bottom plates for embracing the top and bottom edges of said U-shaped portion and an inclined bobbin guiding and interconnecting portion between the said plates, the area of the supporting portion of said top and bottom plates being of an extent substantially greater than the area of the contiguous surfaces of U- shaped portion of the gripping jaws thereby to be sustained by a relatively extensive area of the material of the shuttle within which it is employed, the said U-shaped portion of the gripping jaws having substantially parallel top and bottom edges, said top and bottom plates being spaced for contact with a part of the said top and bottom edges of the jaws, and the lower plate and lower edges of the jaws being in contact throughout that extent of the jaws which is coextensive with the non-flexing, U-shaped part thereof only.

2. For a loom shuttle, a filling bobbin holder comprising spring gripping jaws and a spring cover and bobbin guide, said gripping jaws comprising opposed, resilient members formed unitarily with and comprising the extending ends of a relatively rigid, U-shaped supporting portion, said spring cover and bobbin guide comprising top and bottom plates for embracing the top and bottom edges of said U-shaped portion and an inclined bobbin guiding and interconnecting portion between the said plates, said top and bottom plates being of an extent substantially greater than the U-shaped portion of the gripping jaws thereby to be sustained by a relatively extensive area of the material of the shuttle within which it i employed, the said U-shaped portion of the gripping jaws having substantially parallel top and bottom edges, said top and bottom plates being spaced for embracing the edges of the jaws, the bottom plate further having contact with the shuttle for support thereby, that part of said bottom plate which is engaged by the U-shaped portion of the jaws having a raised surface as compared to the remainder of the surface thereof adjoining the jaws thereby to provide clearance between said remainder of the surface and the flexing portion of said jaws.

3. For a loom shuttle, a filling bobbin holder comprising spring gripping jaws and a spring cover and bobbin guide, said gripping jaws comprising opposed, resilient members formed unitarily with and comprising the extending ends of a relatively rigid, U-shaped supporting portion, said spring cover and bobbin guide comprising top and bottom plates for embracing the top and bottom edges of said U-shaped portion and an inclined bobbin guiding and interconnecting portion between the said plates, said top and bottom plates being of an extent substantially greaterthan the U-shaped portion of the gripping jaws, said bottom plate extending outwardly beneath the resilient jaw members, and said jaws and bottom plate being in contact only over an extent which includes the rigid, U-shaped portion of the jaw members, said plates being spaced from the jaws throughout the remainder of their extent thereby permitting unrestrained movement of the jaws without contact of the flexing portions thereof with the spring cover.

4. For a loom shuttle, a filling bobbin holder comprising spring gripping jaws and a spring cover and bobbin guide, said gripping jaws comprising opposed, resilient members formed unitarily with and comprising the extending ends of a relatively rigid, U-shaped supporting portion, said spring cover and bobbin guide comprising top and bottom plates for embracing the top and bottom edges of said U-shaped portion and an inclined bobbin guiding and interconnecting portion between the said plates, said top and bottom plates being of an extent substantially greater than the u-shaped portion of the gripping jaws thereby to be sustained by a relatively extensive area of the material of the shuttle within which it is employed, said bottom plate having an ofiset therein so that that portion thereof beyond the relatively rigid, U-shaped part of the jaws is spaced from the contiguous edge of the jaw members thereby to permit tl em to move as they are flexed without restraint by or contact between their edges and the spring cover.

5. For a loom shuttle, a filling bobbin holder comprising spring gripping jaws and a spring cover and bobbin guide, said gripping jaws comprising opposed, resilient members formed unitarily with and comprising the extending ends of a relatively rigid, U-shaped supporting portion, said spring cover and bobbin guide comprising top and bottom plates for embracing the top and bottom edges of said U-shaped portion and an inclined bobbin guiding and intereonneztlng portion between the said plates, said top and bottom plates being of an extent substantially greater than the U-shaped portion of the gripping jaws thereby to be sustained by a relatively extensive area of the material of the shuttle within which it is employed, said jaws beyond the point of support as terminated by the relatively rigid, U-shaped portion being offset so that their lowermost edges are spaced from the underlying plate as it extends beyond the U-shaped portion of the jaws thereby to provide a space between the plate and the lower edge of the jaws to permit flexing of the jaws without restraint by the spring cover.

6. For a loom shuttle, a filling bobbin holder comprisin spring gripping jaws and a spring cover bobbin guide, said gripping jaws comprising opposed, resilient members formed unitarily with and comprising the extending ends of a relatively rigid, U-shaped supporting portion, said spring cover and bobbin guide comprising top and bottom plates for embracing the top and bottom edges or" said U-shaped portion and an inclined bobbin guiding and interconnecting portion between the said plates, said top and bott in plates being of an extent substantially greater than the U-shaped portion of the gripping jaws thereby to be sustained by a relatively extensive area of the material of the shuttle within which it is employed, said jaws and bottom plate having their contiguous surfaces in substantial parallelism throughout their extent, one of said contiguous surfaces being broken at a point dividing the relatively rigid, clamped, U-shaped portion of the jaws and continued from that point in spaced relationship to the other surface thereby to prevent contact between the flexing portion of the jaws and the adjacent sur face of the underlying plate.

7. For a loom shuttle, a filling bobbin holder comprising spring gripping jaws and a spring cover and bobbin guide, said gripping jaws comprising opposed, resilient members formed unitarily with and comprising the extendin ends of a relatively rigid, U-shaped supporting portion, said spring cover and bobbin guide comprising top and bottom plates for embracing the top and bottom edges of said U-shaped portion and an inclined bobbin guiding and interconnecting portion between the said plates, said top and bottom plates being of an extent substantially greater than the U-shaped portion of the grip-- ping jaws thereby to be sustained by a relatively extensive area of the material of the shuttle within which it is employed, a spacin member between said jaws and the underlying bottom spring plate extending over an area only substantially coextensive with the relatively rigid, U-shaped supporting portion of the jaws which is clamped between the spring plates thereby to provide a space between the lower surface of the flexing portion of the jaws and the underlying surface of the spring plate so that the jaws may be flexed without restraint by or contact between their lower surfaces and the underlying spn'ng cover.

8. For a loom shuttle, a filling bobbin holder comprising spring gripping jaws and a spring cover and bobbin guide, said gripping jaws comprising opposed, resilient members formed unitarily with and comprising the extending ends of a relatively rigid, U-shaped supporting portion, said spring cover and bobbin guide comprising top and bottom plates for embracing the top and bottom edges of said U-shaped portion and an inclined bobbin guiding and interconnecting portion between the said plates, said top and bottom plates being of an extent substantially greater than the U-shaped portion of the gripping jaws thereby to be sustained by a relatively extensive area of the material of the shuttle within which it is employed, said jaws and bottom plate having contiguous surfaces in parallelism throughout substantially their entire extent, and that portion of said bottom plate coextensive with the relatively rigid, clamped, U-shaped portion of the jaws being embossed in the direction of the said rigid U-shaped portion thereby to support the spring jaws in spaced relationship to the underlying surface of the plate.

WILLIAM RICKENBACK.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 844,318 Boisonneault et a1. Feb. 19, 1907 2,077,136 Wiggin Apr. 13, 1937 2,288,676 Blanchard July '7, 1942 

